John 11:38-53 and Ezekiel 37:1-14, using "Lectionary Preaching Resources"
from CPH, Francis C. Rossow's theme. Lent 5a.
HYMN: (first verse for tune...)
Today, God's mercy calls us, To wash away our sin;
However great our trespass, Whatever we have been.
The past shall be forgotten, A present joy is given,
By grace we have this promise: A glorious crown in heaven.
God took him to the valley; Ezekiel saw the bones,
God made the dead to rally, For He gives life alone!
When life seems dark and cheerless, and all our hope is gone,
Our Gracious LORD is near us With life to carry on.
"It is much better for us, that this One Man should die!"
They plotted death in chorus - the priest had prophesied.
Yes, Christ died; for all nations! To gather us as one;
He is our true salvation - Christ Jesus, God's own Son!
Praise unto God the Father, Declare His awesome things!
Praise to the Son, our Brother, Salvation He does bring!
And to the Holy Spirit, Let Praises ever ring!
Shout Holy! Holy! Holy! To our Jehovah-King!
Irony.
When you plan one outÂcome, you may get the opposite result. You say
something, but it winds-up the mirror image of what you desire. The name
for that term is "irony". Great irony is when a person or group views
something as true, but reality is very different.
Irony provides good stories. A legend goes: Oedipus was sent from his
home to prevent him from killing his father and marrying his mother - which,
in the fable, he did!
Anakin Skywalker in the legend of Star Wars is fated to restore balance
in "the force"; but he destroys the balance and most of the Jedi Knights.
Then, as Darth Vader, he was predicted to kill his son and serve the
Emperor, but he kills the Emperor and serves his son.
In the Tales of the Arabian Nights (Iran!), a prince is in a garden,
and he rounds a corner to face the angel of Death. Both are startled! The
prince rides a fast horse 40 miles from Asshur to Calah to escape Death.
But he meets Death in Calah! "I was surprised to see you this morning in
Asshur," fairytale Death says, "when I was scheduled to meet you tonight in
Calah." Irony!
Irony is when a person seeks some kind of escape from the difficulties
they face, some way to feel free: and so they take illegal drugs or
alcohol. Their feeling of freedom becomes a prison, and their escape turns
into a trap.
Irony is a girl who feels she can hang on to a relationship by having
sex outside the safety of marriage, then finds herself a few short years
later outside that former relationship with even more difficulty finding a
truly suitable partner because of her background; or baby.
Irony is when people work hard to secure "the good life" by putting in
long hours on the job, but then they miss being with their own children as
they grow, or miss developing a deeper relationship with their spouse; and
suddenly wake up to realize they are old & alone, & the "good life" slipped
thru their fingers like a fist full of water. {Ecclesiastes 3:10-15.}
But great irony, a false view of reality, is often found in the lives
of all people, especially those who chose to live without living: that is,
they desire their own path in life and ignore God.
By the power of God's Word alone, the universe was created. "Man shall
not live by bread alone, but by every Word which proceeds from the mouth of
God." God's irony was the plan to humble His only-begotten Son on the
cross, to die for His enemies, & bring His scattered children together. To
live ignoring God's Word is a great irony found in today's lessons. To
believe is the opposite of irony!
Briefly, first, from Ezekiel. The people of Israel had turned away
from the authentic freedom and security they had in the LORD God. They
allied themselves with other nations and other gods. God sent the
Babylonian army to punish them and take many captives, including Ezekiel
(597BC). They would not repent. God finally sent the Babylonians again,
and in July 586 after a 3 year siege, Jerusalem was conquered then
destroyed.
The great irony was that if they had trusted in God, they would have
remained intact and protected. They were certain God hated them, their
family trees would be chopped off, and they would never return to covenant
land of Israel. Now, they felt hopeless.
God, Who acts in history, performed a great miracle to symbolize what
He would do.
Just as in the first creation of man, God first formed the bodies, and
then He breathed the breath of life into them; in this case, thru His
mouthpiece Ezekiel. God did this as a sign that He would first restore the
nation physically, and then breathe the breath of eternal life into them
thru Jesus Christ.
The irony was that even when they were restored, they didn't turn back
to God in faith. Not even when the Word became flesh and dwelt among them,
full of grace & truth.
This brings us to John 11. Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the
dead. Many Pharisees were trying to stop Jesus, but they realized they were
NOT accomplishing their goals and He was doing miracles they could not
explain away. They viewed Jesus as a false Messiah who would upset the
balance of power, and they were afraid to rely on God's protection from
Rome. One irony is that Jesus was the very Messiah they should have been
looking for, and they feared Rome more than God.
Ironically the high priest, Caiaphas, who had the duty to proclaim God's
forgiveness and look for the Messiah failed to recognize God's Son, Jesus!
What did Caiaphas say? "You others realize nothing!" Irony!
"You do not see the logic that it is more profitable for you that one
Man die on your behalf for the people than for the nation to perish."
Seldom has there been greater irony than in this cold-blooded logic.
The intent that Caiaphas poured into these words? It was resolved that
Jesus would be murdered so that their personal status and their nation would
thus be preserved. THAT should stop Him, they reasoned.
The irony? Caiaphas felt he was speaking only for himself. God wanted
Jesus dead too! God loved the world so much He sent His only-begotten Son
to be the one time sacrifice for all sins of all God's enemies. That
included Caiaphas, the Pharisees, the 12 Disciples, and even you and me!
Jesus died for all people of all nations.
The irony is that Caiaphas prophesied Jesus would die for the Jews, but
also for "the children of God who had become scattered" John wrote.
Scattered? Yes, by our sin. Our desires to want life OUR way, rather
than obeying God's commandments. Scattered from the Lord of love by the
people around us that urge us to follow our old sinful nature rather than be
led by the Spirit of God thru the Word. Scattered by Satan, who does NOT
want you to remain an heir of heaven and co-heir with Christ.
Here is more irony: "our present sufferings are not worth comparing
with the glory that will be revealed in us." Paul writes. Those who choose
to avoid suffering for Christ in life will find monstrous agony in death.
Those who ignore His Words of Law and Gospel on earth will not be able to
ignore His word from the Judgment Throne: "Depart from Me into everlasting
fire." (Matthew 25:41).
Even so, we have failed Him time and time again by NOT living in the
love He bought for us on the cross. We are scattered.
The greatest irony is found in the lives of Christians who choose to
live without living: who continue to desire their own path in life and
ignore God's Word in Law & Gospel. When we proclaim we belong to Christ yet
ignore His call to turn from our rebellious lives that is a bitter irony.
If those for whom Christ died hear the Word of God but do not keep it, they
will not be blessed. Luke 11:28.
But John tells us Jesus died "to bring us back together and make us 1."
How can this be?
By the power of God's Word the Holy Spirit gives us life, just as in
Ezekiel as well as in creation. The Gospel is His power unto salvation
(Romans 1:16-17), through faith. It is by the power of the Word that we
live before God, AND we live as His children in the world.
The Spirit gathers us around the Word and Sacraments. He brings us to
faith, and by the power of Word and Sacraments He keeps us in faith. He
breathes the breath of eternal life into us, and we exhale in prayer,
praise, acts of love. He gives the personal assurance of forgiveness of His
sacrifice "for you" in, with, and under the bread and the wine in the Real
Presence of His very Body and Blood.
It is the power of God's Word that enables us to confront ourselves
concerning our sins and turn to Him for the forgiveness we need. The same
Voice that spoke creation into existence brings us together in Christ and
makes us one.
We each need to be active in reading God's Word; & telling children,
parents, grandkids, and everyone about the Passion of the Christ to save us.
We need to be involved in helping others hear about Jesus by assisting in
missionary efforts and supporting church workers and students.
The whole world needs to know about the irony of God's love for them.
Let us also cherish it ourselves! Amen.
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